No-Till Agriculture in Argentina: Soil Erosion Reduction, Water Efficiency, Soil Fertility, Study notes of Agricultural engineering

Download No-Till Agriculture in Argentina: Soil Erosion Reduction, Water Efficiency, Soil Fertility and more Study notes Agricultural engineering in PDF only on Docsity! The No-till path during the last 20 years in Argentina Agustin Bianchini Aapresid bianchini@aapresid.org.ar 1. We started with no-till to reduce soil erosion… …because this was a serious problem for our farmers!! Intensive tillage destroys the biological and ecological integrity of the soil system (Reicosky, 2004). Wind and water erosion, are a consequence of conventional tillage and cause contamination of the water resources. A higher CO2 emission due to tillage increases the greenhouse effect (Adapted from Moraes Sa, 2004). Consequences 2. Then… we realized that more water was available… …and that, with the adoption of no-till, the “water economy” was changing. That water had to be used by the farmer!!! 0.80 3.0 0.4 5.0 0.1 3.7 0.1 0.6 12.3 0.2 1.6 13.9 in. 2.50 2.6 2.7 3.8 0.8 2.9 0.6 0.4 1.0 9.7 7.6 17.3 in. 7.2 3.9 4.0 1.6 3.6 20.3 Source: Aapresid Crop Rotation Intensity (D. Beck, 1996) • Put the stored water in NT to work • Less fallow and more water used by crops • Climate, soil, latitude • Appropriate intensity reduces risks • Native vegetation is the best indicator of the appropriate intensity  Cover the soil with crop residues in an homogeneous and durable way  Maintain a stable structure , mainly in the first inches on the soil profile What to do to improve the rainfall water use efficiency? entine Soybean Planted Area | \ oo | \ Brazil Fi Legend Planted Area for Soy as Percent of Total BE 50% -6.0% | 25% -5.0% = 1.0% -2.5% | 05% ~1.0% HI 001% -05% | Less than 0.01% | Provinces U.S. Department of Agriculture Data Source: |—_— | Foreign Agricultural Service Argentine Agricultural Secretariat (SAGPyA) EEE) Production Estimates and Crop Assessment Division Department-evel statistics for the five-year average of Nittp.//veww.fas.usda.gow/pecad/ planted area for soybean (1997/98 to 2001/02) U Ss D A Robert.tetrault@usda.gov http/www.sagpya.mecon.gov.ar! No-Till evolution in Argentina (1977-2005) Source: AAPRESID (2005) 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 1977/78 1986/87 1988/89 1990/91 1992/93 1994/95 1996/97 1998/99 2000/01 2002/03 2004/05 AAPRESID GMO A re a ( M il li o n a c re s ) 4. Carbon dynamics were modified: NT alone was not enough for increasing the C levels, we needed to think on crop rotation intensification, balanced fertilization, etc… Crop Rotation Planned and ordered crop sequence with the objective: • Maximize productivity, • minimize risks, • and preserve the involved resources. Fertilization of the crop rotation • Balanced fertilization • Higher yield response in the rotation • Nutrient residual effects • Balance inmovilization-release • Soil biological activity Management to increase Soil Organic Carbon Paustian, 1997 • Reduce or eliminate tillage • Rotations with corn, grain sorghum, pastures. • Include permanent gramineae and legumes • Increase time of soil covered with vegetation • Increase production and return residue to the soil  No Till  Crop Rotation  Diversity  Intensity  Fertilization 5. A new paradigm started with Nitrogen, because in NT, N dynamics are modified and more "biological" N is available for crops, but difficult to quantify. b=} ole Tiemeke- cate with legumes Why hairy vetch? Because no-till conceptually evolves. Crop rotation intensification and diversification. Transform water in dry matter: zero fallow + increase the size of the water storage tank. Soil covered with residues and presence of live roots. Nutrient cycling and deep water utilization. Improve Carbon, Nitrogen and Organic Matter balances. Lorenzatti, 2008 How much N can hairy vetch add to the system? • 80 to 90 lb N/ac. to the following corn crop. Ebelhar et al., 1984. Agron. J. 76:51-55 • 67 to 112 lb N/ac. to the following corn or grain sorghum. Blevins et al.,1990. Agron. J. 82:769-772. • The accumulation and N contribution via hairy vetch as a cover crop was higher with the late burning (2 weeks). Same trend in corn grain yield planted after the cover crop. Sainju and Singh,2001. Agron. J. 93:878-886. 6. We need to think that we are farmers that are managing an offer of environmental resources (nutrients, water, light, CO2, etc). T Transpiration H2O H2O H2O H2O H2O H2OH2O H2O H2O H2O H2O H2O H2OH2O CO2CO2 CO2 CO2 CO2 CO2 CO2 CO2CO2 CO2 CO2 CO2 CO2 CO2 I. The more energy received by a crop, the more water it can transpire, and the more CO2 it can fix. II. The biomass production is closely related to the transpiration and the CO2 fixation. a. To capture the greatest part of the water resource. b. To utilize and exchange eficiently the water for the CO2 at the stomata level to produce photosyntates. c. To convert eficiently the asimilates in a hasvetable form: forage or grain.Source: R. Gil 2006 I – Context Analysis The dilemma “The humanity faces today a dilemma with no apparent solution, between the ghost of the lack of food for an increasing demand in quantity and quality, or a destruction of the natural resources needed to produce them”. Certified Agriculture The evolution of NT II– The no-till system Consequences - 96% less soil erosion. - 66% less fuel use. - Maintenance or improvement of the organic matter. - Higher water use efficiency. - Increase in soil fertility. - Lower production costs. - Higher production stability and higher yield potential. TANGIBLE BENEFITS FOR THE FARMER Certified Agriculture The evolution of NT Components: - Principles & Criteria: - RTRS, RSB, ISGA, RTSPO, FSC, FAO - Management indicators: - in the soil - resource use efficiency - Good Agricultural Practices Protocol (GAP’s) III– Productive and environmental quality management system in CA (QMS/CA) Certified Agriculture The evolution of NT 1. Associated to the agronomical management: - Decision making in ag management (crop rotations, fertilization strategies, etc). - Analysis of the evolution of the impact management in the system (time). 2. Associated to existing business or easily accessible - Land rental: as a requirement of the owner or as a differentiation tool. - Real estate (History agronomically certified). - Credit evaluation (environmental and production balance). - Tax reductions. 3. Associated to new businesses - Business by contract with companies that can segregate products (Ex: foods, biofuels, seeds) - Country brand (or provinces): Better price, access to preferential markets. III– Productive and environmental quality management system in CA (QMS/CA) Potential uses Certified Agriculture The evolution of NT It is the production alternative that better combines the interests – many times confronted – of reaching a production: - Economically viable for farmers. - Environmentally sustainable. - Socially accepted. - Energetically efficient. Certified Agriculture The evolution of NT Certified Agriculture For most of the people, agriculture is a synonym of TILLAGE No-Till Adoption Benefits  greater stability and yield increase  increase in cropped area  lower production costs NEW AGRICULTURAL AREAS No-till Variety RR Soybean expansion of the agricultural boundaries In 1995/96: 6.000.000 ha In 1999/2000: 9.000.000 ha Today: 16.000.000 has Rate increase since 1995 was 1.000.000 ha 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 NTCT D e p th (c m ) mg N 100g-1 dry soil Organic N in a no-till field and conventional tillage after 10 years The highest proportion of the OM increase comes from the labile fractions Source: Moraes Sá Inoculation and PS fertilization in soybean AAPRESID-Nitragin-Rizobacter-ASP 2004/05 4 sites: Santa Fe and Buenos Aires Provinces How much N can hairy vetch add to the system? • 90 to 100 kg N/ha to the following corn crop. Ebelhar et al., 1984. Agron. J. 76:51-55 • 75 to 125 kg N/ha to the following corn or grain sorghum. Blevins et al.,1990. Agron. J. 82:769-772. • The accumulation and N contribution via hairy vetch as a cover crop was higher with the late burning (2 weeks). Same trend in corn grain yield planted after the cover crop. Sainju and Singh,2001. Agron. J. 93:878-886.